Indiana appellate judges

An inmate’s request for a sentence modification has divided the Indiana Court of Appeals, with the majority concluding
that the 365-day period during which a trial court could grant a modification begins when someone is originally sentenced,
not re-resentenced after a successful appeal.

The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed a defendant’s conviction of dealing in methamphetamine, finding that pill dough
created while making the drug could be used to count toward the three grams needed to charge someone with Class A felony dealing.

The Court of Appeals has ruled that a man convicted of not paying more than $22,000 in child support wrongly interpreted state
law about withdrawing his guilty plea, and that the trial judge correctly prevented the man from doing so because he didn’t
file a request in writing or justify the withdrawal.

The Indiana Court of Appeals split Monday in a probate suit involving whether trustees failed to distribute a portion of the
trust corpus in a timely manner. The majority upheld finding the trustees liable, but ordered a re-evaluation of compensatory
damages and attorney fees.

A divided Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a defendant’s convictions, including attempted battery with a deadly weapon,
finding the state’s explanations for striking the only African-American from the jury were pretextual and purposeful
discrimination.

The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a finding by the state Worker’s Compensation Board that a woman’s employer
isn’t responsible for providing a specific prescription drug to her, noting that the board only focused on one possible
reason why the drug is prescribed.

The man who shot a pregnant teller during a bank robbery, which led to the death of her twins, had his two felony feticide
convictions vacated by the Indiana Court of Appeals because of double jeopardy violations.

Highlighting a bias in state statute relating to protective orders, the Indiana Court of Appeals has held that an accuser’s
request for a civil contempt hearing against someone alleged to have violated a protective order can’t be tied to any
other criminal or civil proceedings under way or available in the future.

The Indiana Court of Appeals has reversed a paternity ruling from Vanderburgh County, finding that the judge should have taken
a second look at the case after a mother wasn’t given a chance to be properly heard on custody of her child.

The Indiana Court of Appeals says it’s against public policy to uphold any civil contract that’s based on an illegal
action, and so the court says it won’t create a rule allowing that transaction agreement to be enforced.

In an issue with no clear precedent regarding statutory interpretation with respect to the Wage Claims Act, the Indiana Court
of Appeals concluded that a trial court didn’t err in concluding Perry County was the proper venue for a suit filed
by the Commissioner of Labor under the act.

The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed a man’s remanded sentence of 44 years, finding that his previous drug conviction
could serve as both the basis for his consecutive sentence for a firearm conviction and to enhance his sentences for his other
convictions.

The Indiana Court of Appeals found a trial court abused its discretion when it didn’t consider a $160,000 change in
value of a property when calculating marital assets and distributing marital property.

Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard is dealing with a painful pinched nerve in his neck but is working
on managing the pain and has not been hospitalized as a result of the condition, said Supreme Court Public Information Officer
Kathryn Dolan.